Aaron Garbut, Rockstar North's head of development, has spoken out about the impact of the massive Grand Theft Auto 6 leak in 2022, comparing the experience to a violation of privacy.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Garbut described the feeling of seeing early, unpolished clips of the highly anticipated game circulating online. "It feels like somebody's wading through your dirty washing," he stated. "It's like they're inside your head. You see your early work out there. Nobody's ever supposed to see that." Garbut, a veteran of the Grand Theft Auto series since its inception, also found the leak "weirdly invasive" and "quite hard to deal with on an emotional level."
The significant leak prompted Rockstar Games to re-evaluate its security protocols. Following the 2022 incident, the company began phasing out its work-from-home policies. By 2024, all employees were required to return to the office five days a week, a decision attributed to security concerns. Rockstar also implemented stricter access controls, prohibiting developers from accessing company servers and tools remotely. Employees needing to stay home for emergencies or childcare responsibilities were required to use vacation or sick days. While Rockstar plans to reassess these policies after Grand Theft Auto 6 ships, head of publishing Jennifer Kolbe expressed doubt about a swift return to a hybrid model.
"The idea that we would have the game in that many environments is something that I think the security team would not love," Kolbe explained. She added, "I think if we did not have a game that people wanted to steal as much, maybe it would be an easier conversation."
Despite these measures, further gameplay leaks surfaced in August, reportedly causing frustration among developers who felt their sacrifices had been undermined. The leaker, identified as Cyberleek, claimed on Wednesday to be finished with sharing Grand Theft Auto 6 content. The game is scheduled for release on November 19.